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Sustainability a key part of the new sporting agenda

Sports fans globally are showing an ever-growing awareness of the environmental and social impact of their favourite sports. Fans are looking to sports organisations to provide transparent, clear and effective action through CSR initiatives that benefit both people and the planet. This is reflected in a recent PwC survey, where 84.5% of sports organisations cited building the trust of fans and participants as motivations to actively engage in social and environmental sustainability [1].

So where can these changes be made?

  1. Purpose-led messaging 

Re-evaluating partnerships between sports organisations and brands is imperative. A recent Nielsen Sport report predicted that rightsholders with a sustainability agenda are expected to have a revenue growth of 11% over the next three years [2]. This shows that creating a narrative through a chosen sponsorship that helps educate fans, whilst reflecting the core values of that chosen sport provides a clear indication to sports fans that real change is occurring. 

  1. Giving sports stars a voice

Athlete ‘advocacy posts’ generate 63% more engagement for brands compared to other owned social media content [2]. This means that if sports organisations work with their athletes and use their platforms to speak to fans on social issues that matter to them, it provides both athletes and organisations with a more relatable voice, which will resonate more deeply with their fans.

  1. Strategic environmental plans

Environmental issues can no longer be ignored. It is vitally important that sports organisations globally look at and accommodate environmental issues as part of their future business plans. Whether that be reducing the amount of waste produced at events or using more sustainable materials, these measures show consumers real action is being taken.

  1. Listen to younger sports fans

The younger generation are the sports fans of the future, they are more social media savvy and are becoming increasingly empowered to reconsider their consumer habits if a sports organisation or brand doesn’t match their values. This is highlighted in a Nielsen Sport report that states that half the younger population globally say they have a greater interest in brands that act in a socially responsible way [2].

Already working with purpose-focused sports organisations such as SailGP, W Series and Extreme E, Story10 is in the perfect position to help highlight your key CSR initiatives. Our global distribution network provides a platform to inform and amplify your sustainable actions, grow your reach and your audience, whilst our content teams can create authentic, newsworthy videos that will maximise your impact.

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[1] PwC: Sports industry: ready for recovery?

https://www.pwc.ch/en/insights/sport/sports-survey-2021.html

[2] Nielsen Sports: The changing value of sponsorship. 2021 Global Sports Marketing Trends

https://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/report/2021/the-changing-value-of-sponsorship-2021-sports-marketing-trends/